In many cases, the best (and sometimes the only) answer is to replace the damaged organ with a healthy one. Healthy organs aren't easy to come by, though. As of April 2008, there were more than 98,000 people on waiting lists for organs [source: OPTN]. The wait period for 53.2 percent of the people added to transplant waiting lists in 2006 was longer than one year [source: UNOS].
Each organ has its own waiting list, but the lists share a common characteristic -- there are more organs needed than are available. Though many lives are saved through organ donation, many people die while waiting on a list. On average, about 106 people are added to an organ waiting list every day, and 18 people die each day waiting for an organ [source: LifeShare].